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اليقطينة البيضاء، حكايات شعبية من الفلبين
In these stories you are emerged in the magic, superstitions, weird customs and charm of the wonder-world of these dark-skinned inhabitants. The stories were taken directly from the people in their homes and around campfires or chanted by pagan priests in communion with the spirits.
They are typical tales from tribes widely separated and varying in culture from savagery to a rather high degree of development. The tales are therefore divided into five groups Tinguian, Igorot, the Wild Tribes of Mindanao, Moro, and Christian. Tinguian mythology points to the conclusion that the chief characters of their tales are not celestial beings but typical, generalized heroes of former ages, whose deeds have been magnified in the telling by many generations of their descendants. They talked with jars, created human beings out of betel-nuts, raised the dead, and had the power of changing themselves into other forms. This, however, does not seem strange or impossible to the Tinguian of today, for even now they talk with jars, perform certain rites to bring sickness and death to their foes, and are warned by omens received through the medium of birds, thunder and lightning, or the condition of the liver of a slaughtered animal.
The heroes in the tales had most unusual relations with the heavenly bodies, all of which seem to have been regarded as animate beings. We can read of many customs of "the first times" which differ radically from those of the present, but a careful analysis points to the belief that many similar customs did exist or were practiced by emigrants.
The tribes find explanations of many things in their stories, such as how the people learned to plant, and to cure diseases, where they secured the valuable jars and beads, and why the moon has spots on its face. Other fables are told merely to amuse the children or to while away the midday hours when they seek shaded spots to lounge or stop on the trail to rest.
124 pages, Hardcover
First published November 22, 1916
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About the author
Mabel Cook Cole
19 books1 followerwas a writer and anthropologist. She specialized in the study of ancient man and in studying the people of the Philippines. Her books include The Story of Primitive Man, The Story of Man, Savage Gentleman, and Philippine Folk Tales.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 29, 2023
حكايات شعبية من الفلبين، تحكي عن القبائل الفلبينية واسعة الإنتشار والتي تتباين ثقافياً بين قبائل بدائية وأخرى تمتلك قدراً من التطور.
تدور أغلب الروايات حول أساطير تم تضخيمها لشخصيات أبطال نموذجية من عصور سابقة، ضخّمت الحكايات أفعالهم عبر أجيال متعددة.
تحكي عن السحر والطقوس التي يتداولونها والنذور التي يمنحوها والأرواح التي يتحدثون إليها.
قصص هذه المجموعة هي حكايات لا تعدو أن ينظر إليها على أنها خرافات تروى لتسلية الأطفال، وذلك لغرابتها لأنها تتحدث عن أساطير وخرافات تخص العديد من القبائل والديانات، فهناك القبائل التينقياتية وقبائل الإيغورت وقبائل مندناو البرية، والقبائل المسلمة والمسيحية.
وبسبب هذا التنوع المحلي فإن لهذه الحكايات أشكالاً متغيره لأنها تشترك أيضاً مع قبائل جزر جاوه وسومطرة والهند، وشعوب البورنو التي تقطن أرخبيل الملايو.
تدور أغلب الروايات حول أساطير تم تضخيمها لشخصيات أبطال نموذجية من عصور سابقة، ضخّمت الحكايات أفعالهم عبر أجيال متعددة.
تحكي عن السحر والطقوس التي يتداولونها والنذور التي يمنحوها والأرواح التي يتحدثون إليها.
قصص هذه المجموعة هي حكايات لا تعدو أن ينظر إليها على أنها خرافات تروى لتسلية الأطفال، وذلك لغرابتها لأنها تتحدث عن أساطير وخرافات تخص العديد من القبائل والديانات، فهناك القبائل التينقياتية وقبائل الإيغورت وقبائل مندناو البرية، والقبائل المسلمة والمسيحية.
وبسبب هذا التنوع المحلي فإن لهذه الحكايات أشكالاً متغيره لأنها تشترك أيضاً مع قبائل جزر جاوه وسومطرة والهند، وشعوب البورنو التي تقطن أرخبيل الملايو.
October 18, 2025
قصص الفلكلور الفلبيني مملة بشكل فظييييييع
November 4, 2015
أساطير بسيطة ومتنوعة بتنوع الثقافة المحلية وأحياناً متأثرة بالديانتين الإسلامية والمسيحية نجد ذلك واضحاً مثلاً في أصل الخلق و حكاية الطوفان وغيرها
ودائماً ما أجد الأساطير الشرقية أقرب إلى قلبي من الغربية وإن لم تكن بتلك الروعة
ودائماً ما أجد الأساطير الشرقية أقرب إلى قلبي من الغربية وإن لم تكن بتلك الروعة
August 28, 2022
I’ve been on the hunt to learn more about my Filipino heritage, which has been incredibly difficult. The challenge has been finding well-edited, non-whitewashed texts (hard given Philippine colonial history), and it’s been quite the experience finding any books on the mythology and folklore.
This book threw a few red flags at the get-go in how the author phrases things, which is a no-no when publishing what should be an objective work.
”…weird customs of the Filipinos…”
“…these dark-skinned inhabitants of our Island possessions.”
“savage practices”
She lost me after that. I tried flipping through the book to see if there were any hidden gems, and I came across a few grammar/editing errors, and I found many of the stories severely lacking, though I’m curious if my mom would see things the same way I do.
I should mention that the author was an American anthropologist who lived 1880–1923, which might explain some of the cultural judgment creeping into her work but certainly doesn’t excuse it. (Hasn’t that been a huge part of the problem all along?)
The author did tag each story with the corresponding population in which the myth originated—for example, native Filipinos who accepted Christianity or one of the other indigenous peoples of the Philippines—so in that regard, the book might have more value if you’re willing to dig more into what those implications may be.
The collection of stories felt more anecdotal than anything else (nothing wrong with this, but I do wonder about the samples surveyed), as if she simply scribbled down whatever stories she was told or heard secondhand, and then regurgitated them as this book.
The author and her husband (another anthropologist) both took a keen interest in Philippine culture and so she wrote other books in a similar vein: The Story of Primitive Man, The Story of Man, and Savage Gentleman.
I don’t really like to give out 1-star ratings, so 2 for effort?
This book threw a few red flags at the get-go in how the author phrases things, which is a no-no when publishing what should be an objective work.
”…weird customs of the Filipinos…”
“…these dark-skinned inhabitants of our Island possessions.”
“savage practices”
She lost me after that. I tried flipping through the book to see if there were any hidden gems, and I came across a few grammar/editing errors, and I found many of the stories severely lacking, though I’m curious if my mom would see things the same way I do.
I should mention that the author was an American anthropologist who lived 1880–1923, which might explain some of the cultural judgment creeping into her work but certainly doesn’t excuse it. (Hasn’t that been a huge part of the problem all along?)
The author did tag each story with the corresponding population in which the myth originated—for example, native Filipinos who accepted Christianity or one of the other indigenous peoples of the Philippines—so in that regard, the book might have more value if you’re willing to dig more into what those implications may be.
The collection of stories felt more anecdotal than anything else (nothing wrong with this, but I do wonder about the samples surveyed), as if she simply scribbled down whatever stories she was told or heard secondhand, and then regurgitated them as this book.
The author and her husband (another anthropologist) both took a keen interest in Philippine culture and so she wrote other books in a similar vein: The Story of Primitive Man, The Story of Man, and Savage Gentleman.
I don’t really like to give out 1-star ratings, so 2 for effort?
December 24, 2020
I have some concerns about this book, specifically about the compiler of these stories. For one thing, she is not Filipino, nor is she from any of the cultures these tales are taken from. The language used to describe these cultures in her preface disgusts me, and clearly shows me how she saw them, although it was a product of the time when this was written. She uses the word savage/savagery no less than 4 times in the preface, along with other negative terms. I also wondered whether she had permission from anyone within these cultures to publish these tales, as some cultures view certain stories or traditions as sacred and would not want them disseminated among outsiders. The compiler also gives a bit of explanation in the preface about how some of the characters in the stories go by different names but are essentially the same, but this also concerned me because she is not from this culture. I am skeptical whether her explanation is accurate or whether it may be oversimplified. I see that she specialized in anthropology, but it seems there is bias in the language she uses to describe the cultures and I do not find her trustworthy because of this. In short, I would have preferred if this collection were compiled by someone who is Filipino because it would have given a more accurate depiction of the cultures that were discussed. I don't think it's necessary to read the preface so I would advise skipping it, because it doesn't lend much to the tales.
The one thing that annoyed me about the Kindle edition I had was that it didn't have a table of contents for the stories, so if there were some I wanted to go back to later they would be difficult to find. The table of contents within the book only has it split up in parts based on the specific culture the tales are coming from, so I ended up bookmarking the beginning of each tale. Most of these tales I don't think I would read again, but there were a few I quite liked.
Normally with fairy tale collections I would list out the tales I liked and didn't like, but with this is feels wrong to do that because I am not part of any of these cultures, and even with some of the tales I didn't like I could see how they were culturally relevant. That being said, my three favorites were The Story of Bantugan, The Poor Fisherman and His Wife, and The Story of Benito. Some of the later tales felt to me more like fairy tales and for a while I actually forgot I was reading folk tales and not the book of fairy tales I was planning on reading.
The one thing that annoyed me about the Kindle edition I had was that it didn't have a table of contents for the stories, so if there were some I wanted to go back to later they would be difficult to find. The table of contents within the book only has it split up in parts based on the specific culture the tales are coming from, so I ended up bookmarking the beginning of each tale. Most of these tales I don't think I would read again, but there were a few I quite liked.
Normally with fairy tale collections I would list out the tales I liked and didn't like, but with this is feels wrong to do that because I am not part of any of these cultures, and even with some of the tales I didn't like I could see how they were culturally relevant. That being said, my three favorites were The Story of Bantugan, The Poor Fisherman and His Wife, and The Story of Benito. Some of the later tales felt to me more like fairy tales and for a while I actually forgot I was reading folk tales and not the book of fairy tales I was planning on reading.
February 11, 2021
I opened this book, read the preface, and tossed it in the recycling bin. I don’t want to explore my own culture through the eyes of a white woman that refers to my ancestors as “savages” numerous times in the first few pages alone.
September 18, 2019
This book is a salad bowl of numerous ancient tales and songs played out on a single platform. Leave aside the logic, and you'll be able to enjoy the interesting, weird stories with twist and turns at every page and origin stories of many objects/beings. The influence of multiple cultures and kingdoms is found as you move from one story to another.
October 5, 2023
DNF.
I read the introduction until the point where I realized that Mabel Cole has no standing to offer such a collection.
Her benighted and patently colonial attitudes permeate even the few lines I read.
I will look for a more authoritative collection.
I read the introduction until the point where I realized that Mabel Cole has no standing to offer such a collection.
Her benighted and patently colonial attitudes permeate even the few lines I read.
I will look for a more authoritative collection.
May 28, 2022
The preface was… the worst. The stories themselves were fine though
August 16, 2024
knew a couple, but most were new!
March 12, 2017
مجموعة من الحكايات الشعبية من التراث الفلبيني .. متأثرة بالخرافات والإعتقادات الوثنية التي يؤمنون بها ولازال هناك من يؤمن بها .. فيها تجد تفسير لكل المظاهر الكونية ، من بدأ الكون ، وأول فردين خلقوا على الأرض ، وكيف خرجت منهم البشرية وأصبح هناك أبيض وزنجي وأصفر ، كيف تكونت السماء والأرض .. فيها القمر يتزوج الشمس ويلدوا النجوم ، القرود بشر مسخهم الله عقاباً لهم .. وفيها ستجد تفسير حتى لأتفه الأمور مثل لماذا تهز الكلاب ذيولها .. فيها نسيم البر يتزوج نسيم البحر .. ولا عجب !!
يوجد بعض الحكايات ذو خلفية إسلامية ومسيحية ، أخذت من بعض المناطق التي آمنت بالديانتين.
يوجد بعض الحكايات ذو خلفية إسلامية ومسيحية ، أخذت من بعض المناطق التي آمنت بالديانتين.
June 13, 2011
لعله أحد أسخف الكتب التي قرأتها يوما !!
قصص سخيفة لا معنى لها ولا حكمة من ورائها
قصص سخيفة لا معنى لها ولا حكمة من ورائها
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews